fulsome

adjective

ˈfu̇l-səm How to pronounce fulsome (audio)
Definition of fulsomenext
1
as in sickening
overly or insincerely flattering the player's fulsome praise for the coach showed just how hard he was trying to be named captain of the team

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2
as in generous
giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation grateful survivors who were fulsome in their praise of the rescue team

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ugly
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment the author perpetuates some truly fulsome stereotypes in her novel

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fulsome But a more fulsome treatment of the issue is needed. — Daniel Wallach, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 Jefferson could be quite fulsome on this point. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 DeSantis, who signed the law in the Republican stronghold of The Villages in Central Florida, was joined by several other Republicans who touted its provisions, warned about potential threats to election integrity, and offered fulsome praise of the governor. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026 As Warsh interpreted it, modern central banking is not only about setting policy but also about presenting outcomes as the result of fulsome deliberation. — Paul Wachtel, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fulsome
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fulsome
  1. sickening
  2. generous
  3. ugly
  4. gushy
  5. charitable
  6. disgusting
  7. abundant
  8. awful
Adjective
  • Hell, even recurring characters drop off without so much as the courtesy of a sickening demise.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Hersh was held hostage for 328 sickening, agonizing, and starving days until his captors executed him with five other young and luminous people in a tunnel underneath Gaza.
    — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • The 87 does, however, introduce a fresh onboard layout to the line, with a beam of 39 feet creating generous living quarters.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The cover lifts up and back, exposing the build platform, resin tank, and vertical motion system with generous access from the front and sides.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of generous
Adjective
  • My right pants leg was gone and among the smaller cuts an ugly gash puckered at me from the calf.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The first attempts at a foldable smartphone in the 2010s from other companies tended to be fragile and not all that useful, with a big, ugly crease in the center interrupting the experience.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • But something about the Ferris wheel, summer sunsets and general overindulgence convinced me that Wisconsin State Fair might just be the perfect place for romantic declarations, first dates, and altogether gushy moments.
    — Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Except for the unfettered devotion in the latter is replaced by swooping strings and a gushy chorus that merely offer an antiseptic veneer.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Definition of gushy
Adjective
  • The cast and crew filmed a charity auction scene to put the spotlight on Bears Care, the team’s charitable arm.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For a business leader in a similar position with resources available to them, the starting point for corporate charitable giving is understanding what the nonprofit organization needs and where the business can contribute effectively.
    — Kenneth Coffey, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of charitable
Adjective
  • That’s likely to inspire either affection or immediate exhaustion, depending on your fondness for the infamously disgusting performance group.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • People tend to think of waste as trash, sewage, slag, manure and other seemingly useless or disgusting substances.
    — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Though local talent is abundant, there are few resources to develop homegrown IP.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • By ditching expensive cobalt and nickel for cheap, abundant iron, automakers lower costs while creating a battery that is safer and less prone to fire.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of abundant
Adjective
  • Jake Bauers has been awful for most of his career, but graduated in 2018 as a top-50 prospect.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Trailing 12-0 after its awful start, BC scored the next 14 points, jumping in front on McKenzie’s 11-yard score to Javarius Green.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of awful

Browse Nearby Words

fulminations
fulsome
fumble
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Cite this Entry

“Fulsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fulsome. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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